Say Good Night, Not Good Bye
by Olympus Spirit
Summary: Luke reappears at Camp Half Blood, and it changes everything. Annabeth can't stop old feelings from resurfacing. Determined to keep Luke only a brother, what will happen when her old feelings hit back so hard she CAN'T fight them? Can she let herself love the one she always wanted it to be? Does he love her? LUKABETH SOLANGELO- Sequel to 'Love and Return'
1. Chapter 1

Luke was still coming toward Nico and Will very slowly. It would've been obvious to anyone he was on his last leg. How long and far had he traveled to get here?

The son of Hermes stopped and his mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then his eyes rolled up into his head as he collapsed.

"Nico go back to the camp and get help," Will instructed.

Nico didn't hesitate. Meanwhile, Will tried to shift Luke in any capacity, which failed.

"Luke do you hear me?" Will asked, but all he detected was a very weak heartbeat.

Nico was back with the last person Will ever expected would want to be there: Percy Jackson.

Percy looked genuinely shocked.

"He won't last," Will told them. "We've got to get him back to camp!"

0ooo0ooo0

Luke groaned, and his head swam, seeming to recollect like pulling himself back together from some abyss.

He was lying against something soft, and someone was spooning nectar into his mouth, which tasted like his favorite food: peanut butter sandwiches.

He tried to force his eyes open, but it was all blurry. He was in a room somewhere, and a girl with blond hair was feeding him ambrosia.

Annabeth?

"A-Anna," Luke attempted weakly.

"Oh my gosh!" Annabeth's familiar voice exclaimed. "Luke! Are you with me!?"

"I-I'm trying," he stammered.

Everything phased out again, but the next time Luke awakened it was a lot better.

His eyes opened quite freely this time, and he knew this was the big house. He'd made it to where he would be safe...

"Annabeth," he called out gently. "Annabeth..."

However, it was that Nico boy that answered his calls- coming into the room like some ghost out of the shadows. He gave Luke a weird look.

"What is it?" Luke asked him. "Nico isn't it?"

"Yeah," Nico whispered, giving the son of Hermes a hard look. "Right now I'm trying to decide rather to let you live or not."

Luke was filled with some anxiety at that. He remembered that Nico was a son of Hades...

"I'm changed," Luke protested, attempting to sit up and falling right back against the sofa pillow. "N-Nico I..."

Nico only looked away at that. There were footsteps, and this time it was her!

Luke felt his heart fill with happiness and so many other emotions as she met his eyes.

Annabeth was looking at him with a conflicted look, but the softness in her gaze belied her real feelings.

"You're awake," she said gently.

"Miss me?" Luke asked with a small smile.

Annabeth's looked like she could cry, but she was running. She threw her arms around him, and buried her head in his shoulder.

"More than you'll ever know!" she sobbed. "Are you even real!?"

"Don't I feel real?" Luke asked, running his fingers through her blond hair.

She looked at him, but she didn't make him stop.

Luke recognized the look on her face. He'd known her over half their lives. She'd directed that emotion toward him so many times...

Luke's expression fell suddenly and he lowered his hand. Annabeth's eyes registered shock and confusion.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently.

"Nothing," Luke lied, managing a chuckle. "Just a little too overwhelmed to see you."

Annabeth smiled widely at that, but it was all overwhelming to her too.

How could it happen? Luke just comes back into her life suddenly, and already its like nothing changed between them.

She knew this feeling she'd always kept deep inside for the son of Hermes. She'd have to learn how to keep him distant again.

He was her brother, yes. Her friend, yes. There was really only one thing she'd ever wanted him to be though...

Luke had an effect on her. He always had. It wasn't like Percy.

Annabeth was really attracted to Luke physically. She knew that's mostly all it was, but it didn't stop that tingle from jolting her sensations when she looked at him now.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked her.

She shouldn't have looked. Luke's eyes were soft. They were his eyes. There was no Titan Lord in him now.

Right now he was looking up at her with the softest gaze, the way he used to look at her when they were siblings. They were siblings...

"You're still my brother," Annabeth said with a small smile. "Right Luke?"

Luke sighed at that, and his eyes closed, but he smiled.

"I'll always be your brother, Annabeth."

Annabeth nodded at that, and for the time being she'd managed to get her feelings under control.

That's how she'd always managed it with Luke. Luke was her brother. Nothing else...

She couldn't allow him to be anything else. She'd seen what he could be, and she'd almost given into him when he was on the wrong side.

That's what she would keep repeating to herself...

"I gotta go take care of something," Annabeth told him. "We'll talk later."

She tossed Luke a ziplock bag full of ambrosia.

"Careful with that stuff," she said with a wink.

Luke clutched the bag to his chest, but he didn't have the strength to open it. Tiredness still wracked his body, and he let unconsciousness claim him as its own once more.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a late afternoon when Luke was finally allowed to leave the big house.

He'd been provided with a change of clothes- one of the camp t-shirts with its familiar orange design, and a pair of jeans shorts.

He couldn't help smiling a little wistfully to himself as he picked up the shirt. For the first time in years, Camp Half-Blood really felt like home.

"Dad," Luke whispered.

Luke didn't know why he had a sudden desire to see Hermes. When had they ever really been on great terms?

Still, Luke remembered Percy saying that his dad cared about him. Maybe things could be different?

"I know you don't normally appear to mortals and all," Luke continued under his breath, as he changed clothes. "There is no prophecy now. You used to visit so often when I lived with mom..."

He stopped at the sudden change in the room's atmosphere.

There was someone behind him, and he knew it.

"Luke," the familiar male voice said.

"D-dad?"

Hermes stepped around him, so that they were facing one another.

Today Hermes was dressed like a postman, but otherwise he was the same as Luke remembered.

Neither of them really spoke. Luke had a silent argument with himself. Would it be okay to hug him?

"Come to me son," Hermes beckoned with a knowing smile.

Luke was forward with only the slightest hesitation, but when his arms wrapped around his father, he sobbed in spite of himself.

"Its really you," Luke exclaimed happily. "I thought you...for so long..."

"That I didn't love you?" Hermes supplied knowingly, and he was hugging Luke back. "Nothing could be further from the truth. I love you more than I've ever loved any child of mine..."

Luke dried his eyes with a bitter laugh.

"You forgive me?" he asked in disbelief. "After everything I've done?"

"I do," Hermes said with a smile. "Go in peace son."

Luke smiled and rubbed at his eyes again. Hermes smiled more widely in return.

"Close your eyes son," he advised.

Luke squeezed his eyes tight closed, knowing Hermes would briefly assume his true form when he left.

His eyes opened and he was gone.

Luke felt like the weight of years had fallen from his shoulders. He'd blubbered like an idiot, but he'd needed it.

Finally, he stepped onto the big house's porch, and the afternoon sun bathed him in its radiance.

He wanted to drink in the camp he hadn't seen in so long, but someone near by cleared his throat.

"Dionysus sir," Luke said respectfully, turning to the god of wine seated with Chiron, playing cards.

"Returned have you?" Mr. D snorted. "I know your father's just been in there with you, but don't go thinking he trumps my authority at this camp boy."

The usual bolt of lightning flashed across the sky at Dionysus's jabs toward other gods.

"Whatever," Dionysus muttered. "I suppose you'd better go present yourself to your cabin Larry..."

Luke grinned, knowing that correcting Dionysus wouldn't do any good. Nothing had changed...

"Thank you sir," he said, and with that he was off to his old cabin.

The Hermes cabin was still the most eccentric gathering you could imagine, but it became very quiet when Luke stepped through the doors.

Luke didn't say anything, and neither did anyone else.

Finally, it was Travis Stoll that spoke.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming back here, traitor!"

Luke couldn't really argue with him.

"I know words are cheap," he began awakwardly. "I really am sorry."

Travis scowled at that, but he didn't argue. He was actually one of the few that seemed angry.

"Well I forgive you," Connor said, and Travis's expression soured even more. "Welcome back brother..."

Luke hadn't expected to just be forgiven like that by one of the cabin's most senior campers. Connor did him one better. He approached and pulled him into an embrace.

"Don't ever go away again," Connor told him sternly, patting his back. "No one can lead the cabin like you..."

"Thanks," Luke replied. "I don't want to lead. I don't deserve it."

Connor nodded as though that were acceptable too, and Travis looked less stern. It was a start...

0ooo0ooo0

Luke only had one person he wanted to see right then. He searched the camp from top to bottom, and circled back around to the cabins.

That's when he found her...

Annabeth was standing with her back to him, her blond hair whipping in the gentle breeze.

"Annabeth," he called.

She turned to face him, and smiled in spite of herself.

"You're awake."

"Yeah," Luke said, stepping closer.

She couldn't believe it. Luke was just the same as old Luke.

He hadn't aged a day in Elysium of course, so now they were closer to the same age.

As for Luke, he could admit Annabeth looked like a real woman now...

"Where's Percy?" he asked her curiously.

"Training," Annabeth said with a smirk. "You know how he is."

"Gods," Luke snorted. "I bet he could kick my ass in a duel now."

Annabeth's smile fell a little and she moved closer to Luke.

"Its incredible," she commented, pacing around him. "You're still the same as ever."

"Still handsome?" he asked with a wink.

"Don't tease," she warned. "Of course you're still handsome."

Luke's smile turned rueful at that.

"Annabeth," he began a little more sternly. "We can't be anything except siblings. I know you have feelings for me, don't even try to deny it..."

"I'm not," she whispered.

That took him a little off-guard, and his original train of conversation went right out the window.

He considered her for a long moment.

"You love me?" he asked quietly. "Still? What about Percy?"

"I don't know," Annabeth said, shaking her head. "I can't be mad at you! I'm glad you're back..."

Luke continued to study her observantly, and he stepped closer. They were almost close enough to reach out and touch now, but he wouldn't be the one to start it.

"You didn't deny it," he said gently. "That you loved me..."

"I..." Annabeth stopped.

Luke didn't say anything. He knew this couldn't be rushed. Whatever 'this' was...

Annabeth was pacing again, looking at the ground like she wished it would swallow her. Luke hated to think he'd made her look like that.

"We can stop," he told her. "Really..."

"No," Annabeth shook her head. "We can't Luke. Because I never told you before, and I lost you. I can't not tell you, even if I lose you again."

"You won't lose me," he assured her gently.

"You need to know everything," she went on. "Yes I love you. I still wanted it to be you, even after Percy. When we were in the Sea of Monsters, I made myself listen to the Sirens..."

Luke's eyes widened slightly at that fact he'd never known.

He'd been aboard the Princess Andromeda at the time, waiting for them to come back with the golden fleece. Gods, he'd been terrible...

"They showed me everything I could ever want," Annabeth continued, looking him dead in the face now. "They showed me you."

Luke's heart tightened at that. He didn't know what to say.

"Percy and I have been through Tartarus together Luke," Annabeth whispered, angry at herself. "It shouldn't even be a question of who I love more. Why is it then!?"

"Annabeth..."

"I don't know what happens now Luke," she said honestly. "Do I stay with Percy? The one I've been to hell and back with? The one I thought I wanted to marry?"

She stopped and looked at him dead on in the eyes.

"Or do I choose you? The one I wanted to marry to begin with?"

Luke's chest seemed to tighten again at those words, and suddenly everything had radically changed.

His mouth fell open as his life seemed to flash before his eyes.

He saw Annabeth as a girl, when he had protected her. He'd been kind to her...

Luke suddenly saw Annabeth not as that girl. He was looking at a real woman. A beautiful woman, whose feelings he knew he returned- even if he didn't want to...

"What do I do Luke?" Annabeth asked him.

"Only one way to know really," Luke said. "I don't want to hurt Percy either, but you'll never know the answer until you take a chance."

"Luke what are you saying?" Annabeth asked, eyes widening in surprise.

The son of Hermes moved close to her again. When his fingers went out for her cheek, she allowed them to brush the skin there.

"I'm saying I love you too," he confessed, smiling beautifully at her. "That I can help you figure this out, and that even if you choose Percy, its okay..."

Annabeth's mouth fell open in total shock.

How could she refuse him now? Luke was saying he put her first. She could still choose Percy...

Luke respected her wishes.

"Luke," she said. "Do it. Kiss me..."

His blue eyes became unbelievably tender at her request.

This was Annabeth...his Annabeth...

Luke moved forward and captured her lips confidently, before he could back out of it.

Annabeth mewled and her arms came up of their own accord, embracing him around the shoulders.

She'd pined for him for too many years. It was like dying of thirst, and finally being given ice cold water.

He'd been to Elysium and back, and never had she stopped wanting him.

That made her fall completely and hopelessly into him now as their lips danced with increasing need.

She felt a sharp pang of guilt when she thought of Percy, but Luke was taking even that away. She knew...

She knew who she was meant to be with...

0ooo0ooo0

Author's Note: Still one more chapter to come, which won't be a happy chapter. Annabeth has to tell Percy the truth, but she fears what he might do...


End file.
